FBI Releases Photos of Boston Bombing Suspects

Federal investigators have zeroed in on two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing that killed three and injured 175 more on April 15, releasing photos and video of the two men in an appeal for the public to help locate and identify them

Two images taken from surveillance video of men the FBI are calling suspect No. 2, in white cap, and suspect No. 1, in black cap, as they walk near each other through the crowd before the explosions at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013

Federal investigators have zeroed in on two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing that killed three and injured 175 more on April 15, releasing photos and video of the two men on Thursday in an appeal for the public to help locate and identify them.

The photos, published on the FBI’s website, offer the first public glimpse of the men investigators believe are responsible for planting separate homemade bombs near the finish line of the marathon on Boston’s Boylston Street. One of the men is pictured in a black cap, dark jacket, white T-shirt and tan-colored pants. The second man is wearing a white cap backwards and a dark jacket. Footage released by the FBI shows the two men toting backpacks as they walk, just a few paces apart, along a sidewalk crowded with bystanders.

The first major break in the nationwide manhunt came after investigators combed through surveillance images and followed thousands of leads to identify a person of interest, which in turn led them to the second suspect, FBI special agent Richard DesLauriers told reporters at a Thursday afternoon news conference. According to DesLauriers, surveillance revealed the second suspect, in the white hat, placing a bag thought to contain a crude but effective homemade bomb in front of the Forum restaurant on Boylston Street near the finish line of the marathon, just minutes before the device detonated. He then went west on Boylston Street.

From there, it’s unclear where the two men — whoever they are — have gone. And so the FBI made the decision to release photos of the two men and set up a tip line to gather additional leads. “We know the public will play a critical role in identifying and locating these individuals,” DesLauriers said. “The nation is counting on those with information to come forward and provide it to us.”

“If you look at these video tapes there are thousands of people walking by over the course of a couple of minutes, so it takes 400, 500 views until you start to see the patterns evolve. So it’s a very labor-intensive process,” Boston police commissioner Ed Davis tells TIME.

The fact that the FBI labeled the men “suspects” vs. “persons of interest” indicates they have strong evidence that these are the men behind the bombings. Authorities are hoping that by crowdsourcing the identification with such clear imagery, the suspects will not only be identified but also located quickly. “We are diligently working on this,” Davis says. “We’re sparing no expense to find these guys. We are asking everybody to give us as much help as possible.”

The decision to publicize photos of the suspects comes three days into a frenetic scramble to identify the bombers before they slip away. “They’re off and running,” Republican Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told TIME on Thursday afternoon before the photos were unveiled. “Every day that goes by, the case gets a little bit colder and more difficult.”

The suspects are considered armed and dangerous, DesLauriers said, urging bystanders not to approach them. “Identifying and locating those responsible is now our highest priority,” he said. “This is our focus now.” And that of the country; within minutes, the FBI’s website buckled and crashed under the weight of search traffic.

What if it was all a distraction so CISPA could be passed just 3 days later, on the 18th, an act that previously came up against so much public opposition it was thrown out by the Senate. Whilst everyones attention is focused on the bombing why pass such a controversial bill?

who won and who failed in BOSTON?In my opinion, the two
terrorist brothers and their mentors won in their heinous plot but the
America's Security agencies; miserably failed in their task of defeating
terrorists and terrorism. HOW? (i) Terrorists would like to kill as few
as they can but spread the fear to as many as it can. They won. (ii)
Terrorists would like to prolong their operation as many hours more as
they can. They won again. (iii) Terrorists also like to cripple the
normal lives of thousands of people for long time. They won on this
point too. and (iv) Terrorist like to inflict the economical blow as
severely as they can. They won on this point without any doubt. The
Boston police force and other security agencies failed miserably to weed
out the known terrorist (elder brother was known to the police-FBI)
from this crowd, failed to catch him for 3 long days, failed to killed
them without losing their own, and allowed the terrorists to run away so
easily from their hands and the worst among all imposed their own
blockade on 4 million people to stay in their homes for almost a day. We
will hear many stories of bravery and professionalism in the media, but
the bottom line is it was a very poor show of our security agencies,
and need to be investigated by a high level commission, so next time
under such scenario, the TERRORISTS should NOT WIN.

FBI WAKE UP: I WOULD LOOK INTO THE PERSON IN THE YELLOW JACKET, WHO IS FOLLOWING THE OTHER TWO AROUND THE CORNER. THAT PERSON MAY HAVE CHICKENED OUT ON PLANTING THE BOMB. THE GUY IN THE RED CAP DOESN'T SEEM TO FIT WITH THE REST, BECAUSE HE'S HOLDING ANOTHER SMALL BAG IN HIS HAND.

NBC News reported
Friday morning that a missing Brown University student — the subject of
intense speculation on social media — is not in fact a suspect in the
Boston Marathon bombings.

"Authorities say these people came from
overseas... had overseas military training [and have] been here about a
year," NBC's Pete Williams — the most reliable source through a chaotic
week in Boston — reported Friday, citing multiple sources.

One suspect in Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings has been captured,
according to an official with knowledge of the investigation. Another
remains on the loose in Watertown after a firefight with police.
Authorities have established a 20-block perimeter as they search for
him.

@marcharino
Hey Marcharino; Oh 2nd generation Arabs huh???. just by looking at
there attire. What did you think they were going to do if they were 1st
generation middle eastern terrorists??? wear there turbans to the plant
the bombs??

its funny how only these 2 guys r seen as suspects when there are many around looks suspicious, why men r suspects? it could be women too! and whoever said these men look syrian, or arab....could you please elaborate on that and how to prove your point. LoL greek and european people ave same features as arabs too, and long nose ?? seriously? lmao.

It is difficult to positively identify the nationality or ethnic background of these two suspects from the video footage provided, while a different angle and without baseball caps it would be easier to decipher their complexion and facial features. However, my first educated guess would be that these two men look to be of Middle Eastern descent. Large thin noses, darker hair and complexion, yet with American attire--certainly indicative of maybe first or second generation Arab-American.

Bimby, Seems be to exactly correct what you have noticed. Good job. Can
expect no other than this will be brought into the
consideration/announcements at some point. Fascinating convergence of
all four individuals in the second sequence, two on the sidewalk and the
other two converge in from the street. I am with you completely on
this and it must obviously become a part of the investigation if not
already. Hard to believe it is not being discussed already. Good
observations, thank you

There is another person walking behind the suspect in the white cap who has a yellow jacket on with a large back pack.(male or female ?). Has this person been viewed or dismissed as another suspect? Each time I see the video, this person is walking at the same pace. There is an individual in between him/her and the suspect in the white cap.

The real necessity of find the mediate culprit, which is a duty of justice at all times, becomes the racial stereotype that his funky hair, that her nose. Come on whether or not they, help locate but not head screws and not condemned for their race or religion. la necesidad de encontrar al culpable mediato, lo cual es un deber de la justicia en todo momento, se convierte en el estereotipo racial, que su pelo enrrollado, que su nariz. Vamos si son o no son ellos, ayuden a ubicarlos pero no sea cabeza hueca y no los condene por la raza o por la religion

Just "an educated guess," Mahtohsahn. And seeing that all you're going to do is deny that these two men of Chechen descent are of Middle Eastern descent, then I suppose that your guess is, well, uneducated.

yes most newer modern pressure cookers are large, BUT the older
models as I know, with the handle removed would easily fit in a normal
size backpack, and I would think if these were not the suspects they
would have already come forward to clear their names DONT YOU THINK!!! I know I would

@cybervigilante no just anther gov long BS process at taxpayers expense. Guilty no doubt after 6 months then prison for life comfortably all is forgotten, not for the families unfortunately .. Rest assured no politicians or the hierarchy above will even know this hit home really because they were so preoccupied with the media and their own families well being...